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What we regret most... and why.

Neal J Roese¹, Amy Summerville

¹Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Champaign 61820, USA. roese@uiuc.edu

Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin

|August 2, 2005

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People experience the most regret in life domains where they perceive the greatest opportunities for change. Key areas include education, career, and relationships, highlighting the link between potential and regret.

Area of Science:

Psychology
Behavioral Science

Background:

Regret is a common human emotion.
Understanding the sources of regret is crucial for personal growth.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify the life domains that generate the most regret.
To explore the psychological features that explain why certain domains evoke more regret.

Main Methods:

Meta-analysis of 11 regret ranking studies.
Archival and laboratory evidence were utilized.
Experimental studies (Study Set 2 and 3) tested the role of perceived opportunity and framing effects.

Main Results:

The top six life domains for regret are education, career, romance, parenting, the self, and leisure.

Related Experiment Videos

Greater perceived opportunity within a life domain is directly linked to more intense regret.

Framing effects do not explain the observed pattern of regret.

Conclusions:

People's biggest regrets are tied to areas where they perceive the most potential for change, growth, and renewal.
Understanding the role of perceived opportunity can inform interventions aimed at mitigating regret.